John Doe
by Rescue45
Summary: Roy couldn't remember ever being in so much pain or feeling so alone. He had been injured on the job, but the guys were always close by to help him. This time, Roy was all alone at night, in the mountains, a couple hours away from home and injured with no sign of his best friend anywhere.


John Doe

Chapter 1

Johnny kept his right hand on the steering wheel as he felt his back pocket with his left hand, "It's not there."

"What's not there?" Roy asked from the passenger seat.

"My wallet. I must have left it at that store back there." Johnny frowned and fearing Roy would be mad at him, shook his head, "I'm sorry, Roy."

"Well, it will only take about twenty minutes to go back."

"I know you want to get back home, I'm sorry."

"Johnny, it could happen to anyone. I've left mine behind before. It's no big deal."

"Really?" Johnny perked up. He had to drive another two miles before he found a spot to turn around. "I'm glad you're not mad at me for this."

"Johnny, you're my best friend and partner, right?" Johnny nodded. "Even if I was mad, which I'm not, I could never stay mad at you for long. At least you found it was missing before they closed."

"Thanks, Roy."

"Like I said, it's not a big deal; besides, I like driving in the mountains. Even though we have to go back, we're only a couple of hours outside LA we'll still be back by the time I told Joanne to expect us."

Johnny nodded and turned his Rover around and headed back to the small store where he had left his wallet. The sun had gone down and he turned the headlights on. Johnny went around the next curve and a car came on his side of the road forcing Johnny to crash through a guardrail and down an embankment. The second time his car rolled over, Roy was ejected and landed unconscious in the brush. The Rover rolled two more times before it finally came to a stop when it hit a large pine tree head on. The vehicle was upright with the horn blaring. Johnny was slumped over the steering wheel motionless and had a laceration on his forehead.

Thomas Kilgore, the driver of the other vehicle, was a small framed, young man who appeared to be about twenty. He stopped immediately and ran to the damaged guardrail.

He was breathing hard and muttered, "Oh my God, what did I do? I didn't think I was that tired." He looked where the Rover had ended up and knew he couldn't get down there on his own. He cupped his hands over his mouth, "I'm going to get help." He didn't hear a response. He ran back to his car and headed down the road. The nearest phone was at a ranger station that was five miles away. He was scared and angry at himself. "Please, please, be alright," he muttered as he hit the steering wheel with the palm of his right hand. It didn't take him long to reach the ranger station and he honked as he saw two rangers walking toward the parking lot. He pulled up next to them and said, "Please, help. A car crashed through the guardrail and I think the driver's hurt." He was breathing hard and talking so fast the rangers couldn't understand him.

"Slow down. Take a couple of deep breaths. Are you saying there's an accident?"

Thomas nodded. He took a couple of deep breaths and calmed himself down. He pointed to the east, "About five miles down the road. It's a white Land Rover. It crashed through the guardrail. I couldn't get to him, it's too steep."

"He went down the embankment?" One of the rangers asked. The other ranger ran inside the building.

"Yes. It's all my fault." Thomas lowered his head. "It's my fault."

"Let's worry about that later. Can you take me there?" The other ranger asked. Thomas nodded. "What's your name, son?"

"Thomas Kilgore. I was tired and must have dozed off a second. I ran that guy off the road. God, what if he's…"

"Thomas, let's think positive, okay? My name is Steve Parker and the other ranger is Gene Miles. He went to call for an ambulance and get us more help. We'll take my car."

The two men jumped in the rangers green jeep and returned to the site of the accident. It was easy to find with the guardrail damaged. Thomas and Steve shined a bright light down the embankment and could still see the Rover but no signs of anyone. "Hello down there. We're going to help you, just stay put," Steve called down. "You're right, we can't get down there." He went back to his car and radioed for the rescue team."

The ambulance rolled up to the hospital and the unconscious Johnny was rushed into the first emergency bay. He had been placed on a backboard with a C-collar in place and an IV was placed in his left arm. He had a splint on his left leg and another one on his right arm. Johnny had blood on his face and his head had been bandaged. The doctor asked, "Any change from what you told me on the radio?"

The medics shook their heads. One of them said, "No. He still hasn't regained consciousness. I bandaged the laceration on his forehead, his pupils are sluggish, blood pressure is 120 over 80, respirations are 20 and I put him on oxygen. He has a possible fractured left tibia and right ulna, both have been splinted. I never did find an ID on him."

Johnny was transferred from the stretcher to the hospital bed and the doctor ordered x-rays, CT-scan, blood work, and another set of vitals. Johnny was taken to get a CT-scan first. He had a concussion and his tibia was so badly broken that he would require surgery. The doctor wanted to wait until he could find out who his patient was and what his medical history was. A neurologist was called and would arrive in the morning. Johnny was taken to medical intensive care.

Johnny's Rover had been removed from the accident site and taken to the local garage that was just a couple blocks away from the hospital. No one knew that there had been a passenger. No one knew Roy was lying a few yards away in a pile of brush.

Chapter 2

It was the chill of the cold night air that woke Roy up. His head was throbbing and he moaned as he forced his eyes open. He didn't move at first. He stayed on his back and stared at the stars and took a couple of slow deep breaths. The memory of seeing bright lights coming toward him flashed in his mind and he remembered hitting the ground. "Johnny," he yelled as loud as he could. He gritted his teeth when his head let him know that it didn't like Roy yelling. There was no reply from Johnny or anyone else. Roy said, "Okay, let's see what's wrong with me." He blinked his eyes and said, "Yeah, head hurts, probably got a concussion." He rubbed his hands all over his head and didn't feel any blood. He took another deep breath and said, "I can breathe without pain, that's good." After a complete assessment, Roy discovered he had moderate upper right quadrant abdominal pain, a broken right ankle and probably a concussion. He took his radial pulse. It was 50, strong and regular. He knew that if he had a radial pulse, his systolic blood pressure was at least 90 which was a good sign. What he didn't know, was what happened to his partner.

He sat up, ignored the protest from his head and yelled for Johnny a few more times. "I've got to find Johnny," he said aloud. He was in the middle of some small bushes that were about three feet tall. How he ended up there he had no idea. He looked around but he couldn't see anything past the bushes. He tried to stand but the pain in his ankle was unbearable and he sat back down. "We'll that's not going to work," he mumbled to himself. Roy was grateful for the almost full moon. It was shinning pretty bright and he could see pretty well. He managed to find a couple of sturdy sticks to use as a splint for his ankle. He tore his shirt into strips and tied the sticks to the lateral and medial side of his lower leg. He tried to stand again but the ground was uneven. His ankle wouldn't support him and he tumbled to the ground again. The pain in his ankle shot through every part of his entire body and he yelled from the pain. "Johnny, Johnny, Johnny!" he yelled each time getting louder and each time his head protested by throbbing even more. When Johnny didn't answer, he yelled, "Somebody, anybody! I need help down here!" There was no answer except for the sounds of the night. He heard an owl hooting, crickets chirping and even what he thought sounded like a coyote in the distance. Roy couldn't remember ever being in so much pain or feeling so alone. He had been injured on the job, but the guys were always close by to help him. This time, Roy was all alone at night, in the mountains, a couple hours away from home and injured with no sign of his best friend anywhere. He wanted to give up right then and there. He wanted to; but all of his training kicked into high gear and he took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself. He muttered, "Don't do this, DeSoto. Don't give up. You've got to find Johnny. You've got to get back to Joanne and the kids." He knew in his heart that if Johnny heard him, he would have been at Roy's side already. Hopes of finding his partner, his best friend, were fading with each minute that went by. He looked at his watch but it was no longer working. It had been shattered in the crash. He took it off and put it in his pocket. He sat there on the cold, hard ground weighing his options. He looked up the embankment and even though he couldn't see the top, he knew making it back to the road was his only chance of surviving. He didn't know how steep it was but he was determined to make it; not only for his sake, but for Johnny's too. The pain in his side was getting worse but he had to block out that pain and come up with a plan. He didn't know where Johnny was or if he was even still alive. Roy pushed the thought of Johnny's demise out of his head. "No. Johnny, you have to be alive. You just have to be," he said as he rolled onto his stomach and put his forearms on the ground in front of him. He moved his right arm forward then his left and started scooting himself on the ground. It was slow, hard going with the brush in his way and he had to crawl over twigs and small rocks. He had been crawling about twenty minutes and hadn't gotten very far when he saw the tracks from where Johnny's Rover went down the embankment. It may have been because of the dark or his pain, but Roy never noticed the second set of tracks that were made when the Rover was towed up the thirty-foot embankment to the road. He saw a flat area, leaned against one of the bigger trees and stood up slowly without putting any weight on his broken ankle and looked for the white Rover. He didn't see it and continued his slow, long crawl toward the road. He decided to go in the path of the Rover. The brush was already flattened and it would make it easier for him crawl to the top. Roy made it a few more yards and that took the last bit of strength he had. He passed out with the left side of his head resting against his left arm. He got cold sometime during the night and curled up into the fetal position and wrapped his arms around his chest.

Chapter 3

Johnny groaned before he even opened his eyes the next morning. He felt like his head was going to explode from the inside out. As he opened his eyes he realized his left leg hurt and he couldn't move it or his right arm. He glanced at his arm and saw it was wrapped in an ACE bandage. He wiggled his fingers and winced from the pain. He tried to see his leg but couldn't. A nurse came in, "Oh, I see you're awake."

Johnny looked around the room, "I guess so. What happened? Where am I?"

"You were in an accident and right now you are in a hospital. Excuse me, the doctor wanted to know as soon as you woke up. I'll be right back." The nurse left the room.

Johnny looked around the room and noticed his reflection in the small mirror over the sink. He stared at the man in the mirror and blinked. "Who are you?" He moved his right hand in front of his face and wiggled his fingers which caused a lot of pain. He stared at them a few seconds then looked at the man in the mirror again and asked, "Who am I?"

The nurse returned with the doctor. "I see you're finally awake," the doctor said. He noticed the puzzled look Johnny had on his face.

"Are you a doctor?"

"Yes, I'm your doctor. We couldn't find any identification on you; can you tell me your name?"

Johnny shook his head, "I don't know. I saw my reflection in the mirror and I…I don't know who I am. The nurse said I was in an accident, do I have a concussion?" Johnny was understandably pretty upset.

The doctor took a pen light out of his front pocket and shined it in Johnny's eyes, "You do have a concussion but we weren't anticipating your memory loss. Tell me, can you remember anything?"

Johnny closed his eyes and saw flames. He started breathing hard and said, "I see fire all around me and smoke, there's a lot of smoke."

"Your vehicle didn't catch on fire," the nurse said, she added, "The paramedics said your Rover hit a tree. You were found slumped over the steering wheel. There was no fire."

Johnny shut his eyes momentarily and gritted his teeth, "Who am I? Why can't I remember?" Johnny was becoming more agitated with every minute that went by.

"Try to calm down. I promise we'll do our best to figure it out. Most of the time, these things are temporary. I'm sure your memory will come back to you," the doctor said.

"Most of the time! You mean this may be permanent?" Johnny leaned back against his pillow. He looked at his arm and remembered how much it hurt when he wiggled his fingers. "I broke my ulna didn't I?"

"Yes, you did, but how did you know the name of the bone? Most people don't know that. And you knew you had a concussion."

Johnny looked around the room, "I don't know. Doc, I think I've spent some time in a hospital before. It just seems…well…familiar."

"I've called in a neurologist; he should be arriving here pretty soon. I'll get that CT-scan started before he gets here. You should also know that your tibia is badly broken and will require surgery. We were hoping you could tell us more about your medical history before we did any surgery but I guess that's out of the question."

Johnny looked at the name on the ID bracelet they had put on him, "John Doe, huh?"

"Until we find out your real name, it's the best we can do," the nurse replied.

"I'll call the local police and see if they can get the ball started on finding out just who you are."

"I'd appreciate that, Doc." Johnny stared at himself in the mirror again after the doctor and nurse left and sighed, "Who are you, Johnny Doe?" He wasn't sure why but the name Johnny sounded familiar to him.

It wasn't long before Johnny's CT-scan was complete and the neurologist walked into Johnny's room. He stuck his hand out for Johnny to shake which he did, "Hi, I'm Doctor Cannel. I'm the neurologist Doctor Tibbs called yesterday. Sorry I couldn't get here last night."

"That's okay, Doc. You're here now, that's what counts," Johnny replied.

Doctor Cannel looked at the results from the CT-scan and explained to Johnny that he felt his memory would return over time as the injury to his brain healed. He could not, however, give him any kind of time frame. Johnny was told that seeing things that were familiar to him before the accident might help jar his memory.

"And if I don't remember anything and can't find my family, how am I supposed to find things that are familiar?"

"That's where the police come in. They will be here soon. Look, I know this is hard but give us a little time and we'll find out who you are."

"Yeah, okay," Johnny replied. His head was really pounding and his hand was hurting too. He wiggled his fingers which only made the pain worse.

"The orthopedist will be here in about an hour to check your hand. He saw the x-rays last night and was hoping the swelling would be down enough today to put a cast on it," Doctor Cannel said.

"Swell." Johnny turned his head and looked out of the window. He couldn't see anything except some big white clouds and the blue sky but it was better than nothing.

Doctor Cannel left and Johnny was alone. He looked around the room and feeling very frustrated, threw his water cup at the man with no name in the mirror. "Why can't I remember? Tell me who you are!" He shouted. There was a knock at the door, "Come in," he yelled again.

Two uniformed officers entered the room, "Is everything alright?" The first one to enter the room asked.

Johnny shook his head, "No. None of this alright." He noticed the looks of compassion and caring from the young officers and added, "Look fellas, I'm sorry. It's just that well…"

"There's no need to apologize. Heck, I'd be mad too if I lost my memory."

Johnny raised his eyebrows, "Thanks."

"I'm Officer Williams and this here," the officer pointed at his partner, "is Officer Jones. We're here to find out who you are."

"How you plan on doin' that if I don't know?" Johnny sat up. He put a pillow across his legs and rested his broken arm on it.

"To start with we'd like your permission to take your picture," Officer Williams said as he lifted the camera up that had been hung from his neck.

Johnny ran his fingers through his hair. He leaned to his left so he could see around the officers to look at his reflection in the mirror. Officer Jones took a side step to the right to give Johnny a better view of himself. Johnny grinned and finished fixing his hair. He nodded when he was done, "I'm ready now. Where are you going to show it?"

Officer Williams snapped a photograph and said, "We're going to show it on the local news at noon and see if anyone knows you. If we don't get any response we'll widen the search. We just took a look at your Rover and couldn't find a registration or anything with a name on it. Your tags were missing too; they must have been torn off in the crash."

Johnny sighed, "Even if you find out who I am, there's no guarantee I'll get my memory back is there?"

"I wouldn't know anything about that," Officer Williams said.

"I appreciate everything you're doing, guys."

"I guess we'd better get this back to the station," Officer Williams said. He looked at his watch and added, "If we're going to get this on the news at noon."

"Okay, thanks again," Johnny said as they left the room.

After the officers left, Johnny laid his head on the pillow and rubbed his temple. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly; he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Chapter 4

Roy woke up when he felt the warmth of the sun on his face. His eyes twitched before he opened them. For a brief moment he felt no pain. For a brief moment he was warm and for that brief moment in time he forgot that he was alone and injured in the mountains. That moment didn't last. Last night he would have rated his pain at about a nine on a numeric scale of one to ten; his pain was now way beyond any pain scale. He hurt from the top of his head all the way down to his little toe on both feet and everyplace in between. He finally opened his eyes and squinted as the sunlight was almost too bright to bear. He gently touched his upper right side that had been causing him so much pain and it was very tender. He realized that he felt a lot weaker than he did last night and felt his pulse. He still had a radial pulse, but it was slow and weak. Roy knew he was bleeding internally, although he didn't feel like it was a bad bleed. Not that any internal bleeding was good mind you. Roy just felt like it was a slow bleed as opposed to one that could have easily killed him as he slept last night. Bleeding to death internally as he slept wasn't how he imagined his own fate. No, not Roy; he always thought he would go out in a fire or maybe saving someone. Yeah, that's how he wanted to meet his maker, saving someone else. Roy felt his thoughts wandering and he needed to stay focused on the task at hand. He rolled onto his stomach and looked at the embankment. "What was I thinking last night?" he said aloud as he got a good grasp on the endeavor he was about to undertake. "There's got to be a better way to get out of here," he muttered. He sighed and choked back some tears. "Johnny!" He yelled again. His head started throbbing again and reminded him that yelling was not such a good idea. He wasn't expecting a response but he had to give it one last try.

Now that it was daylight, Roy could see the debris from the wreck. He saw the license tag from Johnny's Rover lying on the ground not far from where he was. He looked down the embankment and saw more of the debris. He saw the sleeping bag Johnny always kept in the back of the car and wished he had seen that last night. He wondered what else he could find that might be of some use. He had used his shirt to tie the splint on his right leg and he was now shirtless. He noticed that he was filthy and had minor scratches all over his chest and arms. He muttered something about how Joanne was not going to be happy when she saw him in that condition.

After careful observation of the area, Roy decided to make his way to his suitcase he saw lying on the ground. He chuckled as he remembered giving Joanne a hard time for packing so much for him. After all, he was only going to be gone three days. The chief asked him and Johnny, at the request of Doctor Brackett, to head up north and observe some of the new protocols that were being put into place in that area. Doctor Brackett wanted Johnny and Roy to talk to the medics in the field and get some real and honest feedback to see if there were some that might be useful in LA. Since they both liked the mountains, they decided it would be a nice drive and they opted for the scenic route. Roy crawled to the suitcase and was surprised that it was still intact. He opened it and found a long sleeved shirt which looked like heaven to him. He put the shirt on and buttoned it up. He found a jacket Joanne had packed and put that on too. The air was still a bit nippy and the clothes felt nice and warm.

Roy saw a lighter and had an idea. He knew in reality he would never make it up the steep embankment in the shape he was in. He was able to gather some small twigs and dry leaves and put them in a pile. Then he moved some of the freshly turned up dirt from the tracks and made a circle around the pile. Just doing that little bit of work wore him out and took what felt like forever. He rested a bit then he found a few rocks that he placed on the outer edge of the circle. Roy had wondered where the Rover was and finally noticed the second set of tracks. "Someone found the car and towed it out. Johnny must have still been in it," he said aloud. He scratched his head, "I wonder why he didn't tell them to look for me," he muttered under his breath. Roy let his thoughts wander again about what could have happened to Johnny. His first thought was that Johnny had died in the accident but he wanted to be a little more positive than that so he convinced himself that Johnny had been injured and couldn't tell anyone about him being in it. Roy looked at the circle and pulled the lighter out of his pocket and lit the small twigs on fire. He only needed the fire to be big enough to be seen by a passing motorist. He blew on the flames as they started to flicker and smiled at his accomplishment. He watched as the smoke rose higher and higher. He crawled to a tree and leaned against it and waited. He waited for help to arrive and said a silent prayer that it would arrive before it was too late.

Chapter 5

When Officers Williams and Jones went back to the police station after dropping off the picture of Johnny at the TV station, they sat at their desks and thought about other ways they might be able to find out who the man with no memory was. "We didn't find anything in the Rover," Williams said to his partner.

Jones had been staring at a blank sheet of paper and slowly looked up at Williams, "No we didn't…" a smile came across his face and his eyes lit up. He snapped his fingers and stood up quickly, "I have an idea. Let's go to the crash site. I bet we can find the license tag or registration lying around in the debris."

"You know, I think you may have a good idea there."

"I do get them from time to time, you know."

The two men called their sergeant and told him of their plans to check out the crash site. He said that he would meet them on scene.

Williams was driving and just as he rounded the curve he saw the puffs of smoke that had just made its way to the top of embankment. "What the hell…is that smoke?"

"Yeah, I see it, let me out."

The nearest safe place to park was about thirty feet down the road so Williams stopped and let Jones out. Jones ran to the guardrail and looked down. What he saw shocked him. He saw a man sitting on a sleeping bag, leaning against a tree next to the trail that had been left by the Rover as it went crashing through the brush until it came to rest. The man was dirty and had two sticks tied to his leg. His overall appearance was that of someone close to death. Jones had seen that look before too many times for comfort.

"Are you all right?" He yelled.

Roy let a few tears trickle down his cheeks. "No. I'm hurt I need help."

"Hang on, we're coming." Jones called back.

Roy nodded his head. He wiped his tears away and said, "I'll be home soon, honey."

Jones ran to the patrol car, "Someone's down there and he doesn't look too good. I'll get the ropes, call for an ambulance, will ya?"

"What about the fire?"

"I think he started a small one to get attention but we'd better get the fire department to put it out before it gets out of hand."

Williams opened the car door; he keyed the mic and requested the fire department and an ambulance.

Roy was about as dirty as he could ever remember being and he hurt about as much as he could remember hurting but he was smiling as he saw the two officers coming to help him. "Do you know what happened to Johnny?" He asked as soon as the officers were close enough where they didn't have to yell. He was very weak and what strength he did have was quickly fading.

"Who's Johnny?" Williams asked.

"My partner and best friend. He was driving the Rover we crashed last night."

"Is he in his late twenties and have dark hair?" Jones asked.

Williams reached in his pocket and showed Roy the picture he had taken a little over an hour before. "Is this him?"

"Yeah, that's Johnny. He's okay then?" Roy sounded confused. If Johnny was okay, then why didn't he tell them about him?

"Sort of," Williams said.

"What do you mean, sort of?"

"We'll, he uh…" Jones sighed and continued, "He has amnesia. He couldn't even tell us his name."

"That's why we're here. We were hoping to find something in all the debris that would tell us who he is. There was nothing in the Rover. No registration or anything else that would tell us who he is."

"Johnny Gage. His name is Johnny Gage and I'm Roy DeSoto. We're paramedics with the Los Angeles fire department." Roy's eyes shut and his head slowly started drifting downward.

"Roy! Stay with me now." Jones said loudly. Roy forced his eyes opened and lifted his head up enough to look at Jones. "Tell me what happened last night, Roy."

"We were on the way back to LA when we were run off the road," Roy started coughing. He had forgotten just how bad he himself was injured. "I think I have internal bleeding I've got to get to a hospital. My right ankle is broken too."

"Listen, I hear the ambulance now," Williams said. He patted Roy's good leg and said, "I'll be right back, okay?" Roy nodded. He didn't have the energy to say anything else.

Roy was given an IV and put on oxygen before he was ever moved. He felt a little better with some fluids in him. He was put into the stokes basket and was in the ambulance before he knew it. Roy was still pretty cold and was grateful for the blanket he was covered with.

Once he arrived at the hospital, things happened very quickly. As he was being wheeled into a treatment room, he request that someone call Joanne. He knew she would be worried about him. One nurse was drawing his blood as another one was getting his phone number. That's the last thing Roy remembered before passing out. Roy was rushed to surgery where it was discovered he had a small liver laceration. His broken ankle was set and a cast was put on.

As soon as they saw Roy was safely delivered to the emergency room, Williams and Jones talked to Johnny's neurologist, Doctor Cannel, and told him about finding Roy. The doctor accompanied them to Johnny's room.

Chapter 6

Johnny had just been returned to his room from having a cast put on his arm and was still groggy from the pain medication he was on when Williams and Jones entered the room.

"Hi, Johnny," Williams said.

"Hi. Did anyone recognize my picture?"

"Nope. But we did manage to find out who you are," Jones said smiling.

"Well, don't keep it to yourselves. Who am I? What's my name?"

"Your name is Johnny Gage," Doctor Cannel said.

"Johnny, see, I knew that name sounded familiar," Johnny said smiling. He was happy to know what his name was even if he couldn't remember anything.

"You're a paramedic in Los Angeles and your partner, Roy DeSoto was with you when you crashed," Jones said.

"Roy?" Johnny looked at the ceiling as he tried to remember. "Roy DeSoto, you said?"

"Yes. We found him down that embankment you went down," Jones said.

"He's pretty banged up and right now he's in surgery. As soon as he's out of recovery we'll bring him here."

"And this Roy knows me?"

"Know you, I'll say he does. He was more worried about you than he was getting up that hill. The first thing he did was ask about you," Williams said.

"What did he say about me?" Johnny asked.

"He said you were his partner and his best friend," Jones told him.

"I'm his best friend," Johnny said smiling. The smile soon faded and he hit the bed with his good hand.

"What is it, Mr. Gage?" Doctor Cannel asked.

Johnny sighed and turned his gaze downward, he muttered, "Some friend I am. I can't even remember his name."

"That's not your fault. Give it a little time. Like I told you before, once you're exposed to things that are familiar to you, your memory will more than likely come back," Doctor Cannel reminded his very upset patient.

Johnny nodded, "Yeah, okay. How long will he be in surgery?"

"A couple of hours we believe."

"Oh, I almost forgot. I told Roy I would call Joanne," Williams said.

"Who's Joanne?" Johnny asked. He repeated the name four more times to see if it rang any bells. It didn't.

"Roy's wife. He said he has two kids too, Jenny and Chris," Jones said.

Johnny repeated the names slowly, "Roy, Joanne, Jenny and Chris. Nope, I just can't remember any of them."

Another doctor entered the room and introduced himself as Doctor Benjamin Payne. He said he was an orthopedist and would be taking care of Johnny's tibia. The two officers and Doctor Cannel left the room saying they would return. Johnny chuckled.

"Let me guess, you think it's funny my name is Payne and I'm a doctor, right?"

"I guess…well ya gotta admit, Doc, it's kinda funny," Johnny said still grinning.

"I'm glad I made you laugh, I understand you needed one."

"I guess I did."

"Let's talk about that leg."

"Okay."

Doctor Payne showed Johnny the x-rays and said, "You need surgery there's no doubt about it. I'd like to get a little more of your medical history first. Your partner said you're a fireman with LA and I'm going to call them and see if I can get your medical records transferred here. If all goes well, I can do the surgery tomorrow. I did notice that scar. It looks like you might have had a splenectomy at some time." He examined Johnny's leg and found he had good pulse, movement and sensation. As long as the pain was controlled there wouldn't be any danger in delaying the surgery another day.

Johnny's nurse came and removed the name tag on his wrist. "This is your real name, Johnny Gage." She smiled sweetly at him and said she would return with his lunch.

Johnny looked at the paper bracelet on his wrist. "Johnny Gage," he mumbled. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror and said, "Nice to meet you, Johnny Gage." He grinned at himself then put his head on the pillow and dozed off.

Chapter 7

Roy moaned as he woke up. Doctor Cannel was at his side instantly, "Are you okay, Mr. DeSoto?"

Roy nodded and softly said, "My wife, Joanne, is she here?

"I was told she was in the waiting room. I'll go speak to her in a minute."

"Thanks," he whispered. He reached his hand up and pointed to his throat.

"Your throat hurts?" He asked. Roy nodded. "You were intubated during surgery and that sometimes will cause a sore throat. It shouldn't last more than a day or two. You did fine during surgery. There was a small laceration on your liver but it's all fixed up good as new. We also put a cast on your leg. You're going to need a few weeks of rest but you'll be just fine."

Roy nodded that he understood and whispered, "Johnny?"

"Johnny Gage, your partner?" Roy nodded again. "He's okay physically. I understand you were told about his amnesia." Roy nodded slowly. "You'll be taken to his room in a few minutes." Roy smiled and gave a thumbs-up sign. "I'll go speak with your wife now then we'll get you in the room with your friend, how's that sound?" Roy tried to say something else but it took too much effort, instead he smiled.

Doctor Cannel opened the door to the waiting room and saw a woman sitting in a chair surrounded by four men he didn't recognize. He approached her and squatted down in front of her. "Are you Mrs. DeSoto?"

She nodded and nervously said, "Yes, I'm Joanne DeSoto."

"I'm Doctor Cannel. I took care of your husband. Don't you worry, he's going to be just fine." She let out a sigh of relief.

"Doc, can you tell us what happened?" Captain Stanley asked.

"Are you family?"

Captain Stanley looked at Mike, Marco and Chet and thought that was a silly question, of course they were family. They were closer than most families and had gone through more than most families ever would. He smiled and replied, "Yes, we're family." Joanne nodded in agreement.

"What were you told?"

"Only that Roy and Johnny were in an accident and Roy was taken to surgery," Joanne said.

Doctor Cannel sat next to Joanne and said, "They both sustained some injuries and we expect a full recovery."

"But," Chet said. "I know there's a but."

"I'm afraid that Mr. Gage doesn't remember anything."

"You mean he doesn't remember what happened?" Mike asked.

"No. I mean he didn't know who he was. He was found yesterday and didn't even know anyone was with him when he wrecked. Mr. DeSoto was just found a little while ago."

"He doesn't know who he is." Marco stated.

"He remembers nothing. Physically he has a broken tibia that is going to require surgery, a broken arm and a concussion."

"Can we see him?" Captain Stanley asked.

"I think that would be a good idea but please, remember to not ask him too many questions. He is upset, but he's handling it pretty well overall. We're moving Mr. DeSoto to his room shortly. Mrs. DeSoto, if you'll come with me I'll take you to see your husband now." He pointed to the elevator and said, "Your friend is on the second floor room 203."

"Thank you," Captain Stanley said. He looked at his men and said, "You guys go on up. I'll stay with Joanne."

"Okay, Cap," Chet said, and they went to see Johnny.

Joanne and Captain Stanley followed the doctor to the recovery room to see Roy.

Chapter 8

Chet slowly opened the door to Johnny's room. Johnny smiled at them and said, "Come in."

"You're smiling, does that mean you remember us?" Chet asked hopefully.

"I'm just happy to see someone. Am I supposed to know you?"

"Well…yeah. We're your friends, Johnny," Marco said.

"I'm Mike," Mike said as he pointed to himself.

"I was told I'm a paramedic and firefighter. Are you guys firemen?"

All three of them nodded their heads yes. "We work together, Johnny. We're on the A shift at station fifty-one. I'm Chet, surely you remember me. I'm your number one tormentor."

"Tormentor? If you're my friend, why would you torment me?" Johnny scratched the bandages on his head.

"It's all in good fun, you guys are close friends," Mike said.

"And what's your name?" Johnny asked pointing at Marco.

"I'm Marco Lopez."

"I may not remember you guys, but it sure is nice to have someone around who knows me."

"I bet he'll know Roy when he gets in here," Chet said. He pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. There was only one other chair in the room and Mike grabbed it before Marco. He grinned at them and moved it next to Chet who was also grinning.

"It's okay, I'll just ask the nurse for some more," Marco said. He put his hand on the door knob, faced the others and said, "We're going to need chairs for Joanne and the cap too." Marco left the room.

There was an eerie silence as Johnny looked at Chet and Mike. None of them knew what to say. Finally, Johnny broke the silence by asking, "So, how long have we been working together?"

"Close to seven years now. Station 51 had just been built when you and Roy finished the paramedic course," Chet said.

Mike continued, "You and Roy were in the first paramedic classes in the city."

"Actually, Roy was in the very first class and you were in the first one Doctor Brackett taught at Rampart," Chet said.

"Did I know Roy or you guys before I became a paramedic?"

"You didn't really know us, but we worked some fires together. Roy actually recruited you into the paramedic program," Chet told him.

"You worked at station 10 before that," Mike added.

"I wish I could remember." Johnny rubbed his forehead. "Am I…never mind."

Chet glanced at Mike. He leaned close to Johnny and said, "Johnny. I know what you wanna know and the answer is yes, you're a great medic. You and Roy are the best in the county." He leaned back mumbled, "And when you get your memory back, I'll deny I ever said that."

Mike chuckled and shook his head. "Johnny, he's right. And that's not just us saying that because we work together. You really know what you're doing out there. You've helped a lot of people and saved a lot of lives. You've even won some awards."

"Me. I've saved people?"

"Yeah. You've saved a lot of people," Chet said. Johnny huffed. "Don't give up, Johnny. You'll remember. You'll get your memory back."

"I wish I could be as sure about that as you guys are. Look, thanks for being here. Thanks for trying."

Marco and an orderly came in with the chairs. Captain Stanley and Joanne came in as the orderly was leaving the room. The captain walked over to Johnny's bed and smiled, "How ya doin', Pal?"

"I take it I'm supposed to know the two of you too."

Joanne turned toward Mike who stood to give her his seat and buried her head in his shoulder. The captain reached out his hand to shake Johnny's, "I'm Captain Stanley," he pointed at Joanne, "and that's Mrs. Joanne DeSoto, your…"

"My partner's wife," Johnny interrupted. Johnny felt bad for not remembering the group of his friends in front of him. He felt really bad for making Joanne cry. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mrs. DeSoto. I'm sorry I just can't remember anyone." He was getting very frustrated and angry at himself. He threw a pillow at the mirror.

"Hey, take it easy, Pal," Captain Stanley said in a soft gentle voice. He reached his hand out and patted Johnny's good arm.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Johnny repeated.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, John," Chet said. He turned his gaze to Joanne and asked, "How's Roy?"

"He'll be here in a minute. He's going to be fine," Joanne said as she sat in the seat vacated by Mike.

Everyone looked at the door when it opened and Roy was brought in. Johnny sat up as far as he could to get a look at the man everyone had told him had been his partner for almost seven years. He saw the strange man's light brown hair and blue eyes. He stared into those blue eyes a few moments searching for anything that seemed familiar to him. He saw nothing familiar but an empty feeling came over him that reached down to his very soul. He sighed and leaned his head on the pillow and shut his eyes.

"Johnny, it's okay. I know you don't re…mem…ber." Roy weakly said. His energy was fading but he just had to stay awake long enough to see Johnny.

Johnny didn't open his eyes. He put his arm across his forehead and sighed, "It's not all right and it's not okay. I want to remember. I want to know who I am. I want to remember all of you, I want…"

"Maybe you're trying too hard there, Pal," Captain Stanley said.

Chet looked over at Roy who had fallen asleep and said, "Cap, I think we should leave for a little while." He nodded towards Roy. Everyone looked and saw that Roy was fast asleep.

"I think Chet's right, let's go," Joanne said.

Everyone said their goodbyes and left saying they would be back in a couple of hours. Johnny sighed and watched Roy sleep. He said Roy's name over and over again then he said his own name. He thought somehow if he kept repeating their names, his memories would return. It didn't work. Johnny was still tired and weak himself and drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 9

When Captain  
Stanley and the others left Johnny and Roy, they went to the waiting room. Joanne was feeling better now that she had the chance to see Roy and knew he was going to be okay.

Captain Stanley took the time to call the chief and let him know that replacements would be needed for Johnny and Roy until further notice. The chief was saddened by the news of Johnny's amnesia and said he hoped his memory returned soon.

A nurse saw Joanne and the rest of the guys sitting around and told them about a nice little country-style restaurant within walking distance from the hospital. She said the food at the hospital was pretty bad and she never ate it. She gave them the directions and they all thanked her for the tip.

Roy opened his eyes and blinked a few times. It took him several seconds before he realized that he was in a hospital bed. The events of his rescue slowly came back to him. He turned his head quickly toward Johnny when he remembered being told Johnny had amnesia. Johnny looked so peaceful lying on his back sleeping. "Johnny, I promise, we'll get through this. We've gotten out of some pretty tough spots and we'll get through this one too," Roy whispered. He thought about how he would feel if he couldn't remember his best friend. He wondered how hard life would be with no memory of the past. He gritted his teeth when a sharp pain shot up his leg. When the pain subsided, he focused on Johnny again and said, "If you can't remember the past, we'll make new memories. You have friends, Johnny Gage. Real friends. Friends who have risked their lives to save you and we're gonna be here for you now. So just don't you go giving up on yourself."

"I'm not giving up, Roy. Say, how are you feelin'?"

"My ankle hurts a little and I'll be out of work for at least six weeks, but yeah, I'm okay."

"No, no, no. I mean…we're friends, right?"

"We're best friends."

"I'm not sure how I would feel if my best friend didn't remember me."

"I'm trying to stay positive. I think you'll get your memory back as soon as we get you back home."

There was a knock on the door but before either of them could answer, it was opened. Roy smiled and said, "Doctor Brackett, Dixie, what are you…"

"Oh, please, Roy like you could keep us away," Dixie said. They were both holding flowers and she put some water in the vases and set them in the windowsill.

"Doctor Early would have joined us, but he had an emergency come up. We would have been here sooner, but I needed to gather your medical records, Johnny. I gave them to Doctor Cannel."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your names," Johnny said.

Doctor Bracket glanced at Roy and Dixie. He could see Roy slightly shake his head. "I'm Doctor Kelly Brackett, I work at Rampart hospital. And this lovely young lady is Dixie McCall, the best nurse anywhere." He smiled at Dixie.

"Oh, sure, I'm the best nurse now; later he'll be singing praises about some other nurse."

"I take it, we know each other?" Johnny asked. He glanced at Roy for reassurance.

"Johnny, Doctor Brackett is in charge of the paramedics. He trained us. Not only that, Dixie and the Doc here are our friends." Roy answered.

Johnny squeezed the bedding with his good hand. It was a move that did not go unnoticed by the good doctor. "Johnny, it's okay. We were told about your amnesia." Doctor Brackett's voice was very calm and reassuring.

"It's not okay. It's not okay that you came here to see me and I don't or can't remember you."

"Johnny, Doctor Cannel tells me you are having surgery on your leg in the morning. I'd like your permission to have you transferred to Rampart the day after tomorrow. I'll be in charge of your follow-up care. Doctor Early can run some tests and see what we can do about your memory."

"Doc, do you think taking him to someplace familiar will help?" Roy asked.

"Yes, I do, Roy."

Johnny didn't know what to think much less what to do. To him, these two people talking about what was best for him were complete strangers. He didn't know whom he could trust. He was on some pretty strong pain medication and was beginning to have a hard time staying awake. "I don't know what to do. Roy, you're my best friend, right?"

Roy nodded and grinned, "Yeah. We're best friends and have been for quite a while."

"What should I do?"

"We trust Doctor Brackett and Dixie. Heck, Doctor Brackett has fixed us up more times than I'd care to count. I think it would be for the best if you trusted his judgment."

Johnny nodded and said, "Okay, Doc, I'll let you transfer me to this Rampart."

"You won't regret it, Johnny," Dixie said, she smiled and fluffed his pillow, "I promise, I will personally take good care of you."

"Personally, huh. Well now, I can't pass that up," Johnny said grinning. He shut his eyes and his head slowly bent down toward his chest.

"Roy, Johnny, I think the two of you need some rest. You've had a long day. I'll call tomorrow and check up on you." He patted Johnny's shoulder, "I'll make the arrangements to have you transferred to Rampart. You'll just have to trust me."

"I don't know who else to trust."

The door slowly opened and Joanne entered followed by Captain Stanley and the other guys. Roy smiled as his wife hugged him.

Chapter 10

The light shining through the window blinds woke Johnny up. He stretched raising his left arm in the air and yawned. He looked at the sling his right arm was in and adjusted it so it brought his arm closer to his chest. He lifted the blanket and glanced at his left leg. He tapped on the hard plaster cast that went from his toes all the way to his mid thigh. He looked at the empty bed next to him and mumbled, "I might not remember you, Roy, but I sure could use some company about now." He glanced at the hospital bracelet on his wrist, "I guess I'm still Johnny Gage. I've been at Rampart for two days now and I still don't remember anything. And now I'm talking to myself." He reached for the remote and turned the TV on. There was a special news cast on about a multi-car pileup on the freeway because of early morning fog. Johnny shut his eyes and saw thick fog then he saw Roy wearing a helmet that had the number 51 on it. Roy was wearing a light tan turnout coat. Johnny thought he heard someone screaming for him, "I'm here to help you. You're going to be just fine," he responded.

He opened his eyes and saw Dixie standing beside his bed. He started hyperventilating and Dixie asked, "Johnny, where were you just now? What do you remember?"

Johnny pointed to the TV and said, "That crash, the one on TV, I was there. I know it sounds crazy but…"

"Johnny, it's not crazy. You've worked several accidents just like that one."

"But the fog…it seemed so…"

"Real?" Johnny nodded. He kept looking at the TV. "That's because it was real." She smiled at him. "This is a good sign. I'm going to get Doctor Early. I'll be right back."

He nodded and said, "Look, they're there."

Dixie looked at the TV and saw engine 51 on the scene. The fog had lifted and she saw Captain Stanley holding a radio in his hands. "Johnny, I'll be right back." She left while Johnny's attention was glued to the set.

Doctor Early came in and saw Johnny intently staring at the TV. "Johnny, tell me what you remember."

Johnny seemed nervous and excited and said, "That car's hanging over the bridge." He saw one of the firemen putting a harness on while Chet was getting the ropes ready. "I recognize Chet but who's that other guy and what's he gonna do?"

Doctor Early saw the events unfolding on the screen and said, "It's probably your replacement. The other guys are working for you and Roy while you're out on sick leave. Looks like Dwyer and maybe Simmons. It looks like he's going to check on the driver of that car. See there," he pointed to the driver who was waving a bloody arm out of the window.

"But that car could fall. What if that fireman's inside when it does?"

Doctor Early was known for talking in a very calm even voice especially with patients who appeared to be upset and this time was no different. "They know what they're doing, Johnny."

"Yeah, but how can they put themselves in danger like that?"

"It's what they do. It's what you and Roy do," Dixie said.

"If anything happens to them, it'll be my fault."

"Johnny Gage, don't you dare talk like that. It won't be your fault. It won't be anyone's fault. They're firemen just like you and Roy and it's what they do."

"Yeah well, I think anyone who signs up for that is a fool."

Dixie didn't know what to say. She always respected the firemen and each of them held a special place in her heart. She knew the dangers they faced on a daily basis and any other time Johnny would be bragging about his death-defying feats to some pretty young nurse. Seeing him like this was very upsetting, to put it mildly.

Doctor Early saw how upset all this was making Johnny and he turned the TV off. "Johnny, tell me what you remembered," he said wanting to take the focus off the events unfolding on live TV.

"I turned the TV on and they were showing that pileup. Suddenly, I felt like…I know this sounds crazy, but I was there. I saw the fog and I saw Roy too. Only he was wearing a light tan turnout coat with his name on the back. Then I heard someone yelling for me to help them. That's all I remember."

Doctor Early took the pen light out of the pocket of his white lab coat and shined it in Johnny's eyes. "Have you remembered anything else?"

Johnny shook his head no. "I keep trying but there's nothing there."

The door opened and Roy was sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by Joanne. He was holding onto a pair of crutches. "Look what the cat drug in," Dixie said. She quickly glanced at the TV that had just been turned off and added, "just in time."

Roy had heard about the accident on TV before he left the house. "You okay, partner?"

"No. I'm not okay. Roy you should have seen what I just saw the captain and the other guys doing."

"What'd they do?"

"They were getting ready to repel off the side of a bridge to get to one of the injured drivers."

"It's we do. That's our job."

"But that part of the car was hanging off the bridge, Roy! And it was our replacements going after him. That could have been us."

Joanne wanted to jump in and tell Johnny about all the times she has seen him or Roy hang out of some window of a burning building on TV. She wanted to tell him how she kisses Roy before he leaves for work never knowing if he's going to return. She wanted to tell him how much she worries about every one of the guys they work with. Hanging off the side of a bridge to help someone injured didn't hold a candle to the dangers Johnny and Roy face at work. She pushed Roy beside Johnny's bed and walked quietly next to Dixie who seemed to know what was going through her mind. Dixie put her arm around Joanne's and nodded.

"Hey, relax, will ya? We've done that plenty of times."

"Are you telling me, I've done… " Johnny tried to sit up.

"Relax, Johnny." Roy stood up and put his hand on Johnny's shoulder to calm him down. Johnny nodded his head and relaxed a little. "Johnny, I told you that we are firemen paramedics. We do that kind of stuff all the time. And as I recall, you enjoy it."

Johnny frowned, "Then I'm an idiot."

Roy chuckled, "I won't tell Chet you said that."

"Roy, I think we need to tell him what we discussed," Doctor Early said.

"What's that?" Johnny asked.

Chapter 11

Doctor Brackett entered the room and felt the tension. "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing, Doc. Johnny just saw a rescue from that pileup on the freeway and was a little upset," Roy answered.

"Do you know if they made it?" Johnny enquired.

"I don't know, Johnny."

"Kel, we were about to tell Johnny what we discussed yesterday."

"I see," Doctor Brackett said. He looked at Johnny's arm and leg and asked, "How would you like to go home today?"

"Today? But I don't…"

"It's okay, Pal. You're going to be staying with us for a little while," Roy said.

Joanne stood beside her husband and said, "We'd love to have you."

"But I…"

"But nothing. You can't stay by yourself with your arm and leg in casts. It's not like it's the first time you've stayed with while you were recuperating," Joanne said.

"It's not?"

"Nope. You've stayed with us a few times. We even have a spare room for you. The kids call it Uncle Johnny's room. They're looking forward to seeing you," Roy said.

"I don't remember them."

"They know that. We talked to them all about it and about the possibility of you staying with us a few weeks," Roy said.

"Weeks?"

"You'll have to stay off that leg at least four weeks. And I mean stay off it. I don't even want your toes to touch the ground. It took a lot of work to put that leg back together and I don't want to take a chance of messing it up," Doctor Brackett said.

"Besides, our house is big enough to handle the wheelchair. Your apartment is too small," Roy said.

"My apartment. You know," Johnny paused a second, "I don't even know where I live."

"It's okay, Johnny. Like I told you, we'll be here to help you. I know where you live," Roy said. A sadness come over Roy as he saw Johnny struggling to remember what his apartment looked like.

"I don't want to impose on anyone."

"Impose, please. Johnny, we've considered you a part of our family for a long time now," Joanne said. She couldn't imagine Johnny going back to his own apartment with no one to help him.

"Johnny, I'd feel better if you were around people who know you. I don't think it's a good idea for you to be alone right now," Doctor Early said.

"Johnny, we'll take you by your place so you can see it and pick up some of your things on the way," Roy said.

Johnny stared at Joanne and Roy a few seconds then said, "You guys are doing all this for me. Have I ever been there for you?"

"Of course you have, Johnny. You've stayed hours at the hospital when I was hurt. You've  
saved my life more than a dozen times," Roy said.

Joanne added, "You, Johnny Gage, are one of the kindest, caring, thoughtful men I have ever known. You are there for anyone whenever they need you."

Johnny looked a little embarrassed by all the nice things being said about him. He thought it would be nice to remember some of the times he had done those things. "I can't begin to tell you how much all this means to me." He looked at Doctor Brackett, "When I can get sprung?"

"As soon as Dixie can get you to sign the papers, you're free to go. But, I want daily updates on your progress. And remember no weight on that leg."

"Yes, Sir," Johnny said smiling. He was elated to be getting out of the hospital. Dixie excused herself as she left to get the necessary paperwork for Johnny's release.

"That goes for me too. I want you to call me every day. I'm off tomorrow, but Roy has my home number. And I will probably be stopping by if that's all right with you, Mrs. DeSoto."

"It would be wonderful if you could make it for dinner," she replied.

"What time would you like me to stop by?"

"About six would be fine."

"It's a date."

Dixie returned with the paperwork. It wasn't long before Johnny was sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by Joanne up the walkway to his apartment. Roy was slowly making his way using his crutches. He was glad he had the use of his arms and hands. When they reached the door, Johnny stared at it. "It's okay, Johnny, I have your spare key." Roy put his hand in his right front pocket and pulled the key out. Joanne took it from him and unlocked the door. She pushed Johnny inside followed by Roy.

Johnny's first instinct was to try to get out of the wheelchair but Roy and Joanne reminded him that Doctor Brackett warned him about putting any weight on his leg and he remained seated. He bit his lip as he looked at every piece of furniture in the living room. He bit it so hard that it started bleeding. Joanne started to say something but Roy shook his head. Johnny wiped the blood away with his shirtsleeve without saying a word. Joanne wheeled him through every room of the small apartment. It was a tight squeeze but she managed. Johnny saw some photographs hanging up on the wall in his bedroom and asked Joanne to hand them to him. Tears filled his eyes as he held the first one with his left hand. "I don't remember this, Roy."

Roy sat on the bed and leaned the crutches beside him. He gently took the picture from Johnny and looked at it. A smile came over his face. "This was taken at the awards banquet three years ago. You and I were given awards for saving a couple of kids that were on the second story of a house fire. We almost didn't make it out of that one. You hung your award over there." Roy pointed to the wall next to the closet. There were several awards hanging the wall.

Joanne opened the drawer to the night stand and took out a photo album. "Chris and Jenny gave this to you last Christmas. They worked on it all year." She turned a couple of pages and on it was the newspaper clipping of the story about the house fire. "Look." She handed it to Johnny.

Johnny read the story and said, "Wow." He looked up and Roy and said, "We did this? You and me?"

Roy nodded, "We're good at what we do."

Johnny looked at Joanne, "And you put up with this?"

Joanne let out a little laugh, then looked serious, "I knew Roy wanted to be a fireman when we were kids. I've known about the dangers of the job for a long time now. Sure it scares the hell out of me, but I knew that going into this marriage and I'd be a fool to complain about it now. What can I say; I'm proud of my husband and what he does."

Johnny turned a few of the pages of the album. It had more stories about daring rescues and lives that were saved because of what Johnny and Roy did for their patients. He closed the album and rubbed his fingers over the cover, "Roy, can I take this with me to your place?"

"You can take anything you want, Pal."

Joanne slid the closet door open and set Johnny's suitcase on the bed next to Roy. She took a few of Johnny's shirts off the hangers and folded them neatly and placed them in the suitcase. As she continued to pack, Johnny said, "Roy, I'm not sure I can do all this stuff now."

"It's okay, Johnny. Don't think about it now. You can't go back to work right now anyway. Like Doctor Early said, give yourself some time."

Johnny looked around the room and his eyes became fixed on the dresser. The thought of his partner's wife packing his boxers was unsettling to say the least. His face must have turned red because Roy stood up and patted Johnny's good leg. "I'll get them," he said as he put the crutches under his arms. He made his way to the dresser and took out what Johnny needed and placed them in the suitcase.

Joanne laughed, "Please, it's not like I haven't seen men's boxers before."

Johnny raised his eyebrows, "But you've never seen mine."

"How do you know?" She joked.

Johnny's mouth gaped wide open as did his eyes. Roy laughed along with Joanne. Johnny suddenly closed his mouth and starting laughing too.

Chapter 12

"Are you sure, Johnny? You know you can stay as long as you want to," Roy said. He was standing in the door way to Johnny's room. The cast had been removed a week ago and he had been cleared to go back to work on his next shift which was tomorrow.

"Roy, you, Joanne and the kids have been great the past few weeks. Now that the casts are off, I think I need to go to my own place."

"I just…"

"I know you're worried about me. Heck, I'm worried about me too. Without my memories, I can't go back to work. At least I can't work for the fire department anymore."

"Don't give up, Johnny. There's still a chance."

"You heard what Doctor Early said last week. That chance is pretty slim now. I've got to find myself now. I have to decide what I'm going to do, what I'm going to be."

"You're still coming by the station tomorrow, right?"

Johnny smiled. "You and the guys are the only things keeping me from totally losing what little sanity I have left; of course I'll be by. That is, if you show me the way to the station."

"Sure," Roy said as he zipped the suitcase Johnny had just filled. He was scared to let Johnny leave. He was scared of what the future held for his best friend and he was scared of what his future held without Johnny as his partner.

"Roy, promise me something."

"Anything."

"No matter what happens, you'll still be my best friend," Johnny said choking back the fear that was taking over.

Roy put his hand on Johnny's shoulder, "I promise no matter what happens, Johnny, you'll always be my best friend. No matter what direction our paths take, I'll always be here for you."

Johnny picked up the suitcase and looked around the room he had called home the last six weeks. "I don't know how I can ever repay you, Joanne and the kids for everything."

"Then don't try." Roy smiled.

Johnny put the suitcase in the back of his new car. It was a white Land Rover and looked just like his old one, not that he could remember what it looked like. Roy had taken him by to look at it a couple of days ago. He felt lucky that his insurance was enough to replace it. Roy showed Johnny how to get to the station on the way to his apartment. Roy went inside with Johnny to make sure he was settled before leaving. Roy stood in the doorway as he was about to leave. Johnny could sense his friend's hesitation. "Roy, this isn't goodbye, ya know? I'll be at the station in the morning. I promise."

Roy nodded, "It's just…aw never mind."

"It's scary. Believe me, I'm scared too. I'm counting on you and the rest of the guys to help me."

"We'll be there. All of us will be you can count on that."

Roy closed the door and Johnny watched him drive away from the window. "Okay now Gage you're home, now what?" He closed the curtains and sighed. For the first time since the accident, he felt alone. This was his home, his apartment with his things in it but he didn't recognize any of it. He opened the refrigerator and smiled when he saw it was fully stocked. He saw a piece of paper on the top shelf and he read it aloud, "Dear Johnny, we know you didn't have time to go to the store so we did some shopping for you. From Station 51." Johnny smiled and shook his head. He took out a can of beer and popped it open. "I guess I need to start learning where everything is," he said aloud. He opened every cabinet in the kitchen. He spent the rest of the day going through every inch of his place. He wanted to know what he owned and where it was. He was surprised at some things he found like the guitar sitting on a stand in the corner of the living room. He picked it up and sat on the couch. He started playing Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water. "Roy, I'm glad you're my best friend," he said quietly. He didn't know he knew the words to any songs let alone how to play them on the guitar. He smiled when he finished and put the instrument back in its place.

The guys had just finished eating lunch when Johnny walked into the station. Captain Stanley pulled a chair out for him, "Have a seat, Pal."

"Thanks," Johnny said as he sat down.

Roy handed him a cup of some rather strong coffee, "Here you go. How'd it go last night?"

"It was weird."

"Weird?" Chet asked.

"Yeah. The only time I've been to my place since the accident was when Roy and Joanne took me there to get some things to take to their place. I didn't know where anything was. Thanks for filling the fridge. I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

"You're welcome, Johnny. If you need anything just let us know," Mike said.

"Just cause you're not back at work yet doesn't mean we're not your friends anymore," Chet added.

"Does any of this look familiar?" Marco asked.

Johnny stood up and walked around the kitchen. He ran his fingers along the counter top as he walked by it. He opened the refrigerator and then the freezer. He could feel everyone's eyes on him when his back was turned. Johnny shook his head, "I don't recognize anything. I'm sorry."

"You got nothing to be sorry about, Pal," Roy said. A young man entered the kitchen. "Johnny this is Sam Younger. He's my partner," Roy said. He cleared his throat and added, "My temporary partner. He just graduated from paramedic school a couple of weeks ago."

Johnny shook Younger's hand and said, "They tell me I'm Johnny Gage. I guess you heard about that though, huh?"

Younger nodded his head, "Yeah, Roy told me about it this morning. Don't worry I don't want your job. I'm only stationed here for a little while. I'll be transferred somewhere else as soon as you come back." Johnny didn't know what to say. He didn't think he was ever coming back to work for the department. He just politely nodded.

"Johnny, let me show you the squad," Roy said. He walked out to the apparatus bay followed by Johnny. Captain Stanley requested the others to stay in the kitchen.

Johnny saw the squad and reached out his right hand and touched the red door. He rubbed his hand along the side of the squad and opened one of the compartments. He looked at the big orange box and wondered what it was. He also saw the other boxes and was curious as to their contents. Roy took the orange box out and set in on the hood of the squad. He opened it and showed Johnny the biophone. He screwed the short antenna in place and said, "It's the biophone. We talk to Rampart with it."

Johnny sighed and let his head slowly droop until his chin was almost touching his chest. Roy put the antenna back in its place and closed the lid. He put the box back in its place. "Johnny," Roy said quietly.

"Roy, I'm not getting it back. There's no need for you to show me what all this stuff is for. I won't be using it. You know what Doctor Early said about the hippocampus and how it's the part of the brain that controls memory. He also said that my memory might, just MIGHT mind you, come back." He glanced toward the kitchen and said, "Tell them I said thanks for everything and I'll keep in touch, I promise."

Roy was close to tears as he closed the compartment door and watched Johnny walk out of the back door. He shut his eyes and rested his head on his outstretched arm and sighed. "Don't worry, Partner, I won't give up even if you do."

Johnny passed a small restaurant on his way back to his house and didn't feel much like cooking when he got home. He skipped lunch and decided to check it out. He took a seat in the back booth and read the menu. He wasn't sure what foods he liked or disliked but was grateful that Roy told him he didn't have any food allergies. He saw meatloaf on the menu and knew he liked that because Joanne cooked it one night and he really enjoyed it. He started a conversation with the waitress who looked to be in her late forties. She seemed very friendly and told him the owners were looking for a cook because the current one was moving back east to be closer to his family. She introduced herself as Marie Stevens. He found out she was married with two kids and her first grandchild was due in another month. Johnny thought about the cook's job when she went to get his order. He stared at the menu and mumbled, "Heck, I bet I can cook this stuff. If I can't, I bet Joanne or the guys can show me." When she came back he told her he was interested in the job. The owners were in the kitchen and came out to talk to him. He knew honesty was usually the best policy so he told them all about his amnesia and how he used to be a paramedic with the fire department. They understood that when or if his memory returned he would go back to the department. They asked if he wanted to come in and work with the cook to learn the menu and how to prepare everything. Johnny thought that was a great idea.

He was happy when he went to sleep. He had found himself a job and would start in the morning. It wasn't on the fire department but after hearing about all the stories and thinking about the dangers involved he decided he no longer wanted to be on the department. Roy and the captain said the department would send him through training again and he could stay on, but truth be told Johnny felt it was just too dangerous for him. Johnny decided he would call Roy in the morning. He would be home about 0830 and Joanne would be taking the kids to school then.

Chapter 13

Johnny had been working at the restaurant for a month and had gotten to know Marie and her family pretty well. She even had him over for dinner on their days off a couple of times. He wasn't making much money but it was enough for him.

He continued to go by the station and see the guys at least once a week and spent a lot of time with Roy when they were both off. Captain Stanley had a cookout at his place just last Saturday and Johnny went. He still couldn't remember anything and the only glimpses of memories he had was at the hospital. He was doing the best he could to get through each day and make new memories. He was glad he still had people around who knew him from before the accident. He felt lucky to have that contact with his past even if he didn't remember it.

Roy got along okay with Sam. He was good paramedic and a nice enough guy but Roy just didn't feel the bond with him that he had with Johnny. He struggled every shift to make it work. It wasn't that he disliked the guy. In fact, he even had him over for dinner a couple of times when Johnny was working at the restaurant. Roy and Johnny had a certain way of doing things and Sam was still learning. It was just hard to accept the fact that Johnny wasn't coming back. Johnny was never going to be his partner again and he missed that. He was getting into a routine with Sam but he felt as if the fun of the job was gone.

Johnny had his apron in his hand when he went into the restaurant. It was a busy Friday night and he was totally worn out by the time the last customer left. He was in the kitchen putting a few things away when he heard a noise coming from the dining room. He called Marie but there was no answer. He dried his hands on his apron and went into the dining area. He saw Marie lying on the floor. He couldn't tell if she was breathing or not. He bent down beside her and felt for a carotid pulse. He didn't feel one and she was becoming cyanotic. Johnny said, "I'll be right back, Marie." He stood up and grabbed the phone off the nearby counter and was glad the cord was long enough to reach Marie who was about six feet away. He started CPR on her after he dialed the fire department. He continued CPR as he told the dispatcher where he was and what happened.

It seemed like forever before Johnny saw Roy and his partner Sam walk through the door. "Roy, she's breathing on her own now but it's shallow and I'd like to get her on some o2 and she'll need a line with normal saline, her pulse is still pretty weak."

Sam set the monitor on the floor next to Marie and Johnny started putting the EKG electrodes on Marie while Roy got the biophone out and called Rampart. Sam got everything he would need to start a line as soon as Rampart gave him permission. Johnny turned the monitor on and looked at the strip. "Roy, she's in sinus bradycardia now."

"Okay, Johnny. Sam can you get a blood pressure on her?"

"Sure," Sam replied.

Johnny put the oxygen mask on Marie at a rate of 15 liters per minute. Sam told Roy the blood pressure was 80/60. "That's too low. She'll need that line for sure. Did Rampart give us permission to start it yet?" Johnny asked.

Roy glanced at Sam for him to go on and start the IV. Sam started the line while Johnny spiked the bag of fluids that would be given to Marie. Roy told Rampart the IV was started.

"I hear the ambulance, Roy," Johnny said. He jumped up and opened the door to let them in.

Marie opened her eyes, "Johnny?" She said weakly through the mask.

Johnny knelt by her side, "Marie, the fire department is here now and they're going to take you to the hospital."

"My chest…my chest hurts. Did I have a heart attack?" she asked.

"You're going to be just fine. Roy and Sam are here and they're going to take good care of you." He spoke in a soft but reassuring voice.

Johnny helped load Marie into the ambulance. Roy looked at Johnny before climbing in the back, "Johnny,"

"We'll talk about it later. I'll meet you at the hospital as soon as I lock up." Roy nodded and closed the door. The ambulance sped away followed by Sam driving the squad.

Johnny had a big grin on his face and he clapped his hands together. "I'm back! I remember everything!" He yelled. He rushed to lock the doors and left to meet Roy.

Johnny saw Roy talking to Dixie and he ran up to him and gave him a big bear hug, "I remember, Roy. I remember everything." He was still smiling.

Roy smiled too as he hugged Johnny. "I knew it! I knew it would come back."

Dixie looked at the two of them unaware of what happened in the restaurant. "What?"

"I was putting things away in the kitchen and I heard Marie fall. I knew. I don't know how I knew but I knew exactly what to do. I called the department and started CPR. When I saw Roy and Sam walk through the door everything came back to me. I remember everything, Dix. I'm me again!"

Doctor Brackett turned the corner and said, "What's all the commotion about?"  
"You are Doctor Kelly Brackett and you work here. You trained me. You were against the paramedic program to begin with but fought tooth and nail to get it off the ground once you saw how much good it could do."

"That's right. Johnny, you remember that?"

"He sure does, Doc. He remembers everything now," Roy said excitedly.

"That's wonderful, Johnny. Say, I think Joe is still around here. I think it'd be a good idea to have him take a look at you."

"Sure, Doc, anything you want," Johnny said.

A week later, Roy was with Johnny at the hospital. "I don't see any reason why you can't return to work now, Johnny. You've had your memory back a week now with no complications," Doctor Early said.

"You're a little behind on your continuing education hours but there's plenty of time to make them up," Doctor Brackett said. Johnny was sitting on the examination table with his shirt off.

"I think so too, Doc. I'll make sure he gets caught up," Roy said.

"When's your next shift, Roy?" Doctor Brackett asked.

"Tomorrow," Roy replied.

"Well, Johnny, I think you need to get a good night's sleep because I want you well rested for your first day back on the job," Doctor Early said.

"Yes, Sir," Johnny replied. Roy handed Johnny his shirt he had been holding for him.

The next morning, Johnny arrived at the station an hour early. He was too excited about having his memory back and going back to work to sleep. He washed the squad before Roy arrived and completed the morning check list.

Everyone was glad to have Johnny back but none as happy as Roy. The first call came out as soon as the morning chores were completed. It was for a house fire with people trapped on the second floor. Johnny jumped in the passenger seat and put his helmet on. "You ready for this, Johnny?"

"I don't think I've been more ready for anything in my life, partner."


End file.
